Telematics includes the use of technology to communicate information from one location to another. Telematics has been used for various applications, including for the exchange of information with electronic sensors. As telematics technology has progressed, various communication methodologies have been incorporated into automobiles and other types of vehicles.
Telematics systems such as on-board diagnostics (OBD) systems may be used in automobiles and other vehicles. OBD systems may provide information from the vehicle's on-board computers and sensors, allowing users to monitor a wide variety of information relating to the vehicle systems, such as engine RPM, emissions control, coolant temperature, vehicle speed, timing advance, throttle position, and oxygen sensing, and many other types of data. Vehicles may also include global positioning system (GPS) devices installed within or operating at the vehicle, configured to collect vehicle location and time data. Telematics devices installed within vehicles may be configured to access the vehicle computers, sensor data, and GPS device data and transmit the data to a display within the vehicle, a personal computer or mobile device, or to a centralized data processing system. Data obtained from OBD systems has been used for a variety of purposes, including vehicle maintenance, diagnosis, and analysis, and data obtained from GPS devices has been used for navigation applications and other purposes.